Xie Xuan led her into the underground chamber and then left.
Wang Wan glanced around, a mix of complex emotions welling up inside her. She sat down on the stool and covered her face.
A moment later, a commotion arose from above. She couldn't quite make out what they were saying. She clutched her handkerchief tightly, her mind racing with thoughts.
After the alluring, ambiguous impulse dissipated, reason gradually took over.
Noble families value their reputation. If their private affairs were to be spread by someone with ulterior motives, the Xie family of Chenjun and the Wang family of Langya would become a laughing stock among all the noble families in the world, and his military power would be taken away. Her frail body was not worth such a risk for him.
Furthermore, he is already engaged to the Heng family of Longkang. Publicly, Hengzhi Yan's brother holds the military power of 80,000 troops in the north. Privately, the girl is bright and beautiful and is a good match for him. Isn't her behavior despicable?
Besides, she had already reached a consensus with Xie Er, so how could she act so absurdly and arbitrarily?
A flood of thoughts rushed into her mind, bringing tears to her eyes and a suffocating pain to her heart.
In the vast underground chamber, the glowing glass lamps on both sides illuminated the entire passageway, making it deep and quiet.
Wang Wan bit her lip tightly, clutched her chest, and her face turned slightly pale.
She collapsed onto the table in pain, a fleeting self-deprecating glint in her eyes.
How could someone with such a broken body be worthy of him?
The surroundings were eerily quiet and dark, without a sound. The only sounds were the occasional angry curses of a man overhead, as well as countless footsteps and the sounds of searching.
Wang Wan takes medicine regularly. Now she is wrapped in his robe, and she doesn't know where the porcelain bottle is. Without medicine, she can only endure it for now, and blood is spilling from the corner of her mouth.
After an unknown amount of time, the intense sensation subsided, and she became somewhat more lucid. Weakly, she picked up the teacup on the table, poured herself a cup of cold tea, and gulped it down.
She stood up, holding onto the table. She glanced at the dark, seemingly endless tunnel, took a deep breath, and decided to wait.
This underground chamber, connected to who-knows-where, was wide and deep, with interconnected passageways and cells on both sides. A breeze blew in from somewhere, making the wide passageway feel cool.
When Xie Xuan finished his business and came downstairs, he saw her lying on the table with her back to him.
He quickly went over and helped her up. "What happened?"
Wang Wan snapped out of her daze, saw him, and quickly suppressed the emotions welling up inside her, brushing his hand away.
Xie Xuan noticed her aloofness, and his expression turned slightly cold.
"Is Ah Wan going to take advantage of me and then deny everything?"
"---"
Wang Wan asked calmly, "Your mother is gone?"
He hummed in agreement and gazed intently at her.
"Xie Xuan---" she suddenly called out to him, and quietly looked into his eyes, "Let's... call it quits."
As soon as he finished speaking, an eerie silence fell over the dark room.
Xie Xuan stared at her for a long time, then curled his lips in a mocking smile, "You don't want to break off your engagement with my second brother? If you like my second brother so much, why did you kiss me?"
Wang Wan hesitated, remaining silent.
Seeing her try to avoid him, he grabbed her cheeks and lifted them up, saying fiercely, "Wang Wan, is there room for two people in your heart?"
She felt pain from his grip, her brows furrowed, and she instinctively tried to pry his hand away.
But Xie Xuan wouldn't budge an inch, holding her tightly in his grasp.
"say."
"I don't."
His palm trembled slightly as he slowly released her. "What do you mean by 'nothing'?"
Wang Wan coughed in pain, holding onto the table, her palms turning white.
No, she never liked Xie Er.
Seeing her like this, Xie Xuan said self-deprecatingly, "Are you trying to tell me that you were just momentarily confused and infatuated?"
Her heart ached, and she tried her best to suppress the bitterness, whispering, "Let's not make any more mistakes. Miss Heng likes you. Now that you're engaged, let's live happily together."
"As long as you are willing to call off the engagement, I will handle everything. You don't need to worry about any of this."
Looking at his sharp eyebrows and eyes, Wang Wan clenched her fists, arming herself with reason.
She knew that, given his personality, he would definitely not care about her illness.
But she didn't want to be a burden to him, didn't want him to suffer day and night after her death, like Xie Er, living in darkness forever, never seeing the light of day.
A short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one. Only a bright and beautiful girl like Hengzhi Yan is worthy of him.
Xie Er only had Ziyan in his heart. He didn't get involved in the Xie family's struggles and had no desires. She married Xie Er, and both of them got what they needed. After she died, the Xie family probably wouldn't force Xie Er to marry again, and he could live a peaceful life. This was good for everyone.
It's good for all of them.
He married, she married someone else; this was the best ending for them.
"yes."
She suddenly looked up and stared at him with unwavering determination.
"Xie Xuan, you're already engaged, and next month I'm getting married to your second brother. Just pretend I was confused today and forget about it."
Xie Xuan listened to her words and looked at her eyes and brows, then suddenly laughed, a laugh that was somewhat eerie.
"Wang Wan, this is the first time I've seen you so assertive in all these years."
He leaned down and shoved her onto the table behind him, saying in a sinister tone.
"My second brother has bewitched you, making you so devoted to marrying him."
Wang Wan remained silent, her lower back pressed against the hard table, which ached painfully.
“Look me in the eyes.”
His chin was suddenly lifted, and he stared straight into her eyes.
She winced in pain and hissed.
Xie Xuan stared at her, his voice cold, "This is the last time. Look me in the eyes and tell me, do you like me or not?"
Wang Wan's back trembled, and her hands gripped the table tightly, turning white and blue.
"say."
He suddenly roared, his devilish features filled with gloom.
Wang Wan's heart skipped a beat, and her body trembled involuntarily.
Seeing that she was frightened, Xie Xuan closed his eyes and suppressed his sinister aura.
A gust of wind, seemingly from nowhere, swept through the hall, lifting their robes and causing them to become tightly entangled.
He suppressed his emotions, regained his composure, opened his eyes to look at her, and his voice was a little hoarse.
"This is the last time, I'm asking you this last time, answer me."
A sharp, piercing pain surged through her chest, as if it were about to devour her.
Wang Wan looked at his face, clenched her fists tightly, and choked up, "I don't like it."
The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
Xie Xuan felt as if ice shards were raging through his body, crashing against his limbs and bones. He looked at her, quietly looking at her.
A cold wind blew past my ears, and the surrounding silence was terrifying.
Wang Wan lowered her eyes, suppressing the pain in them, and whispered, "Let's go our separate ways and marry someone else."
"good."
He turned and left, his voice echoing softly in the passageway, light and ethereal, rippling across the surface until it was gradually lost from being heard.
The Xie family of Chenjun was holding two weddings in quick succession, with the dates very close together. The entire capital city of Yan was bustling with activity. Firecrackers crackled along the streets, lanterns were hung everywhere, and banquets were set up in restaurants several days in advance, inviting all the people of the city to feast for three consecutive days. It was an unprecedented spectacle.
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